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Sunday, 15 September 2013

Pleated dress based on Vogue Pattern 1353 (V1353)

I can’t believe it! It’s been three months since my last
post. Yes. I have been very busy… work… winter…

It’s getting warmer in Melbourne, which gives me one more
reason to finish this dress. I have been
taking this project to my sewing classes for two months! If it took me any longer, I would lose my motivation
to ever finish it. So in a sunny day today, I finally did the zip and the hem.
And here it is:

The fitting experience is the worst with this pattern. I
tried to make the shoulder straps closer together for narrower shoulders but I just don’t know how with this pattern.
Too many elements need to be considered: the pleated neckline, princess seams,
armholes and a matching lining (it’s separate pattern piece)… Eventually I just gave up.

As a result, the shoulder straps are too wide for me. When I
push my shoulders forward, there is a big gap on my neckline. I guess I should just
try not to push my shoulders forward then.

I did the hem facing as per the instruction. It’s a bit more
work but it turns out to be great. This is one technique I learnt from this
pattern which I can use on other garments in the future. It makes the dress
feel more professional inside. It feels more comfortable because it’s lined
even below the end of the skirt lining.

Overall it’s a good pattern. I love the pleats and the shape
of the dress. I love how professional all the Vogue patterns try to make the garments look. If I am lucky enough to find the fabric with the right print and
pattern, I will make another one.

3 comments:

The dress looks great I woukdn't have noticed the shoulders being wide if you hadn't mentioned it and it's a lovely print. I've just started this pattern and was planning to skip the faced hem, but reading your comments I may stick with it.Well done.

The gap is noticeable only when my shoulders are pushed forward, which can happen, for instance, just when I am typing at computer. I guess if you have wider shoulders, it would be less of problem. I do think the hem facing is worth doing if you want the whole dress to be more professional. Good luck!